Chapter 25: Cyclops Rock (They Might Be Giants, 2001)

We are nearing the end, but we're not there yet, and a few obstacles stand in our way. Rumor has it there is a cyclops in the Maze. No, not the first X-Man recruited by Professor X, but rather a member of a primordial race of giants with a single eye in the middle of his forehead.

Check yourself! You need the lamp and the egg (unless you already gave it to the Thief). Use the inventory command to see what you are carrying and then take accordingly.

>down

Cellar  

>east

Troll Room

>south

[Maze #1] This is part of a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.

>east

[Maze #2] This is part of a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.

>west

[Maze #4] This is part of a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.

>up

[Maze #5] This is part of a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.

>sw

[Maze #6] This is part of a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.

>east

[Maze #12] This is part of a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.

>south

[Maze #15] This is part of a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.

>ne

[Cyclops Room] You are in a room with an exit on the west side, and a staircase leading up. A cyclops, who looks prepared to eat horses (much less mere adventurers), blocks the staircase. From his state of health and the bloodstains on the walls, you gather that he is not very friendly, though he likes people.

Great. A big one-eyed monster that lacks depth perception but can eat horses. Let me tell you, having stereo vision will not give you any advantage over the cyclops. There are two methods of dealing with the cyclops that have proven effective; the first is to feed him (something other than yourself, of course). He will fall asleep and allow you to get by, but he will eventually wake up, so this solution is only temporary. The second, and much simpler option, it to convince the cyclops you are Odysseus, the ancient nemesis of his race. Helps to know your ancient Greek mythology. And for those of you who think Greek mythology is limited to "Clash of the Titans," the game even gave you the answer at the Altar in the form of an acrostic.

What’s an acrostic, you say? It is a poem or other form of writing in which the first letter, syllable or word of each line, paragraph or other recurring feature in the text spells out a word or a message. As a form of constrained writing, an acrostic can be used as a mnemonic device to aid memory retrieval.

When you read the book, the capital letters at the start of each sentence spell out ODYSSEUS. Here it is again, in case you didn’t memorize it, with emphasis on the first letter of each line.

                            Commandment #12592

Oh ye who go about saying unto each other: "Hello sailor":

Dost thou know the magnitude of thy sin before the gods?

Yea, verily, thou shalt be ground between two stones.

Shall the angry gods cast thy body into the whirlpool?

Surely, thy eye shall be put out with a sharp stick!

Even unto the ends of the earth shalt thou wander and

unto the land of the dead shalt thou be sent at last.

Surely thou shalt repent of thy cunning.

>odysseus

The cyclops, hearing the name of his father's deadly nemesis, flees the room by knocking down the wall on the north side of the room.

Suh-weet! A new door!

>north

[Strange Passage] You are in a long passage. To the south is one entrance. On the east there is an old wooden door with a large hole in it (about cyclops sized).

>east

Living Room

Another way out...is there no end to the underground secrets? And just in time too, as my butt was starting to hurt from the slide.

>save

Saved.